Beer

Armenia is no stranger when it comes to creating alcoholic beverages. From ancient times Armenians held the key to making fine alcohol like brandy, wine, beer and vodka. The methods and ingredients are almost identical to those that have been used thousands of years ago.

The first records ever found about beer dates to 3100 B. C. It was found in Sumerian Land. Barley and other cereals were widely used by this nation not only for making beer but also for making bread. During that time beer was also produced by other ancient civilizations like Egyptians and Babylonians.

Urartu is known for the traditional way of making beer from grains. They already knew how to brew beer in the 9th century B. C. During the Teishebani excavation explorers could find all the necessary equipment for brewing and storing beer. In his work called Anabasis, Xenophon mentioned about beer that he was served during his expedition through Armenia.

Beer is still very popular in Armenia. It is present on menus of every cafe, bar and restaurant, even some fast food chains will serve beer. There is an annual Beer Festival that is organized largely by the Yerevan Municipality. During the festival all local and foreign producers that are present in Armenia,promote their product to the most important evaluation – people’s judgement. Besides the fun games visitors will be able to enjoy an open air concert.

There are many breweries in Armenia. Some restaurants have their own right beside your table. Some of the biggest and most famous ones are Kilikia, Aleksandopol and Kotayq. You can buy them from supermarkets, convenient stores, etc. If you want to witness the creation of your favorite beer you can visit the breweries and see the magic for yourself.